Plastic surgeons reveal what could be behind Tom Brady's changing appearance

It's often said that Tom Brady has aged like fine wine, and on his 48th birthday this month the retired quarterback looked as suave as ever.

To mark the occasion, the NFL shared 13 photos of the football legend showcasing his remarkably youthful features over his two-decade career.

Now, plastic surgeon Dr Smita Ramanadham has analyzed the images to reveal whether he may have had any subtle work to enhance his features.

'With Brady, he is very much an example of plastic surgery done right,' she said. 'You want surgery where you can't quite tell what it is you got, and that is the case here.

'We can't stop aging no matter what we do, but I don't see those changes with Brady that I see with everyone else, even myself, and that makes me suspicious.'

'I think he's definitely had some 'tweakments,' small procedures, either surgical or nonsurgical, to maintain his looks so that he ages gracefully, but no major work.'

She suggested he had likely received a barely-there surgery to remove skin around the eyes, a subtle nose job to slightly refine the nose, and Botox and fillers for lines.

But much of his youthful appearance was down to his workout regimen and strict diet, she suggested. Since retiring, he has lost 10lbs and continues to avoid refined sugars, salt, caffeine, white flour and dairy.

Other surgeons previously suggested to DailyMail.com after looking at images of him that Brady had also received a facelift. Dr Ramanadham said this was possible, but added that the shift could similarly be down to his fitness regime, diet, skincare regimen and filler.

Dr Ramanadham, who runs a clinic in New Jersey, based her analysis on pictures of the star over the years and did not examine him in person.

Brady has not publicly addressed whether he has undergone plastic surgery. Daily Mail reached out to representatives for the football player but did not receive a response.

Rumors about potential cosmetic enhancements, including Botox, a facelift and buccal fat removal, where fat is removed from the cheeks, have circulated for years.

They were reignited in September 2024, when the NFL posted an Instagram video of Brady that triggered further comments about his youthful appearance.

After viewing photos of the sporting legend, Dr Ramanadham was quick to suggest he may have had an upper bletharoplasty, or surgery to remove skin above the eyes.

The skin is more prominent in his early photos from the 2000s, and would be expected to gradually droop over time in normal aging. But in photos, it stays in the same place.

'Really, the only way that could happen is that if he had a small upper bletharoplasty,' she said.

'He doesn't look like he has the super awake eyes that can result from the procedure, but there is no way he would have looked this way now, with virtually no change in the skin, without something being done.'

Dr Ramanadham also pointed to Brady's nose, which she said appeared to become slightly more refined over the years. This suggested to her that he may have received a nose job, or rhinoplasty.

She said: 'His nose appears to be more refined. As we progress through the years, his nostrils get slimmer and his nose tip definitely looks more refined.'

NFL stars can break or fracture their noses on the field, which can then lead to them being referred to surgeons for cosmetic work.

Brady injured his nose in a 2012 game against the Tennessee Titans, suffering a bloodied face after he was tackled from behind while holding the ball.

He did not confirm whether he broke his nose at the time, but told reporters that he needed 'some scars' to boost his career.

Dr Ramanadham said the tight skin around Brady's jawline was also unusual because the skin tends to sag in this area as people age.

The tight appearance suggested, she said, that Brady had used Botox or fillers injected along the jawline to boost its definition.

Brady has also lost a significant amount of weight over the years, which could also be contributing to the tighter appearance.

He has focused on fitness since retiring from the NFL, saying in a September 2023 episode of the SiriusXM show 'Let's Go!': 'Yeah, I’m down about 10lbs, but I’m actually very fit right now.

'I haven’t had the stress that I had while I was playing, so that’s allowed me to focus a little bit more on my physical health.'

He added: 'It’s just nice to feel good, to wake up every day and know that I’m taking care of myself in a different way.'

Previously, surgeons told DailyMail.com after looking at images of him that Brady had received a facelift to tighten his jawline.

Dr Tijion Esho, a cosmetic surgeon and founder of Cultskin in the UK, said at the time that Brady's appearance was similar to that 'typically seen after a full face lift which is still in the process of healing'.

While it is possible that he had a facelift, Dr Ramanadham said it was also possible that an excellent maintenance regimen and skincare routine could have contributed to the appearance.

Overall, she said that it remained difficult to tell which procedures Brady had received, which is 'exactly what happens with excellent plastic surgery'.

'I am definitely less certain about these procedures compared to those of other stars,' she said.

'With others, you can look at them and say yes, you have definitely had this procedure. But with Tom, it's just not quite as clear-cut.'